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  Method of calibrating a printing apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20070193681Title: Method of calibrating a printing apparatus Abstract: A method of calibrating a printing apparatus which includes a transport mechanism for transporting patches such as labels or RFID tags, each carried on a continuous backing web in a feed direction, from a store to and through a printing station, past a print head which is operative to print information on the patches, there being a patch removal mechanism for removing the printed patches from the backing web, the method including feeding a patch on the backing web in a direction opposite to the feed direction, from a position downstream of the print head, to a start position relative to the print head, and then advancing the patch again to test that the information is printed at a desired position on the patch. (end of abstract) Agent: Fish & Richardson PC - Minneapolis, MN, US Inventors: Mark Smith, Paul Hammond USPTO Applicaton #: 20070193681 - Class: 156277000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070193681. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a method of calibrating a printing apparatus of the kind which includes a transport mechanism for transporting patches each carried on a continuous backing web, in a feed direction, from a store to and through a printing station, past a print head. The print head is in use operative to print information on the patches, there being a patch removal mechanism for removing the printed patches from the backing web. The printed and removed patches subsequently are fed from the printing apparatus, for example to a patch applying mechanism, which may be operated to apply the printed patches to articles. [0002] The patches may be simple labels on which information may be printed, or radio frequency identification devices ("RFIDs"), for examples only, and the articles may be packages or other items, for example which are conveyed in a production or packaging facility. [0003] Such patches typically include a face to which an adhesive is applied, the adhesive adhering the patches to the continuous backing web, the backing web surface to which the patches are adhered readily releasing the patches to permit the patch removal mechanism to remove the labels. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART [0004] In calibrating such an apparatus, the transport mechanism and the print head need to be co-ordinated so that the print head begins printing on a patch with the patch at an aligned position relative to the head. Typically this is achieved with the apparatus operating in a calibration mode, when one or more test patches are fed by the transport mechanism past the print head, and then adjustments are made to the transport mechanism to co-ordinate the start of printing with a patch being correctly aligned with print head. Such adjustments may be made by manually advancing the backing web, or more typically by providing input to a controller which controls the transport mechanism. [0005] In each case, with known arrangements, patches are fed in the feed direction fed from the printing apparatus 10 and discarded while calibration is being effected. Where the printing apparatus is a high speed apparatus, this can result in a significant number of patches being wasted during calibration, and moreover, as such patches will adhere to any surface with which the adhesive comes into contact, the discarding of several patches can resulting in patches undesirably becoming adhered to surfaces. [0006] It has been proposed to provide a patch removal mechanism which can be rendered inoperative so that defective patches (particularly RFIDs) are nor removed from the backing web. For example, the patch removal mechanism may include a beak to encourage the removal of patches from the backing web, which beak may be moved to an inoperative position to allow a defective tag to be transported to a take-up store with backing web. [0007] Whereas the use of such patch removal mechanism which can be rendered inoperative, may overcome the problem of "sticky" patches being fed from the apparatus, patches are still wasted, and particularly if the patches are RFIDs, such wastage can be expensive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a method of calibrating a printing apparatus which includes a transport mechanism for transporting patches each carried on a continuous backing web in a feed direction, from a store to and through a printing station, past a print head which is operative to print information on the patches, there being a patch removal mechanism for removing the printed patches from the backing web, the method including feeding a patch on the backing web in a direction opposite to the feed direction, from a position downstream of the print head, to a start position relative to the print head, and then advancing the patch again to test that the information is printed at a desired position on the patch. [0009] Thus the wastage of patches during calibration may be at least reduced. [0010] Desirably the patch removal mechanism is rendered inoperative during calibration so that printed patches may be advanced past the print head and patch removal mechanism in the feed direction to the downstream position on the backing web, and then fed in the direction opposite to the feed direction to bring a patch to the start position. [0011] Thus one only or a small number of patches may be wasted during calibration and "sticky" patches are not fed from the apparatus but the patches are retained adhered to the backing web during calibration. [0012] The patch removal mechanism may include a peeler member which may include a roller with a beak, the backing web being entrained about the peeler member, the condition of the peeler member being changeable from an operative condition in which a patch adhered to the backing web is removed from the backing web, to an inoperative position in which condition the peeler member is inoperative to remove patches from the backing web. [0013] Thus the method may include changing the condition to an inoperative condition during apparatus calibration, for example by rotating the peeler member where a roller and beak, from an operative condition. [0014] The transport mechanism may feed the backing web and hence the patches to and through the printing station in the feed direction by rotating a backing web take-up spool which draws backing web and patches adhered thereto from a storage spool, or preferably by driving both storage and take-up spools simultaneously. The method may include driving at least the storage spool to feed the backing web and patches in a direction opposite to the feed direction to bring a patch to the start position. [0015] In another example the transport mechanism may include a capstan roller about which the backing web may be entrained, the method including rotating the capstan roller in a first direction of rotation to feed the backing web and patches in the feed direction, and for calibration, rotating the capstan roller in an opposite direction of rotation to bring a patch to the start position. [0016] In each case the apparatus may include a sensor to sense the position of a patch relative to the print head, thereby to provide a reference indication of the relative position of a patch to the print head for use in arranging for the information to be printed at the desired position on the patch. [0017] For example only, such a sensor may sense the leading edge of a test patch at or adjacent the printing station, e.g. as the patch is fed past the print head, both prior to feeding the patch back past the print head to the start position and subsequently. [0018] The printing apparatus may be a thermal printing apparatus in which the print heat includes an array of printing elements which are individually energisable under computer control to remove pixels of marking medium such as ink, from a carrier such as a ribbon. Thus the apparatus may include a carrier transport system for moving carrier relative to the print head during printing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0020] FIG. 1 is an illustrative side view of a printing apparatus operated in accordance with the method of the present invention, during normal printing mode; Continue reading... Full patent description for Method of calibrating a printing apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method of calibrating a printing apparatus patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080105371 - Decorative laminated safety glass utilizing a rigid interlayer and a process for preparing same - The present invention is process for preparing a decorative glass laminate comprising a rigid interlayer comprising printing an image onto at least one of the interlayer surfaces. ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method of calibrating a printing apparatus or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Backup board for machining process Next Patent Application: Bonding method and apparatus Industry Class: Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method of calibrating a printing apparatus patent info. 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